Honor among foul-mouthed megucas
[♡] Alice is the one who kept you alive, I just made sure you became a Maj instead of a monster.
[♡] Tell her about the hunt for the Raising☆Heart, and that it ended up in her shrine.
***
There's no reason to bullshit this girl; she's been through enough already. No need to toot your own horn overmuch, either. Also no need to thank Jesus, you're at a Shinto shrine. You sure as shit aren't thanking Iron Beetle's stupid ass; fuck them forever amen.
You pat Alice's head. "Alice here saved you," you say to Reina. "I just helped make sure the curse didn't turn you into some kind of monster."
Alice politely worms her way out from your hand. "All in a day's work."
Reina smiles gently at the both of you. "Thank you both. If I died, my ghost would've hunted the
pendeja who cursed me to the ends of the earth, but your kindness was truly a blessing."
You're glad you know enough Spanish to swear in so you get what Reina's saying.
"Your ghost would've gotten my sloppy seconds," you say with a cheeky grin. "After I avenged your death."
Reina laughs, light and melodious. "Saying you can outrun a revenant,
conejita?"
"Coney-what-now?"
Reina makes bunny ears with her hands. "Lil' Bunny. Because of the hair."
You run a hand over your free bun and playfully stick out your tongue. "If you were calling me small, we might've had to scrap."
"Glad it didn't come to that," Reina drawls. She hops to her feet and limbers up, letting the blood flow through her body. She surveys the damage to the shrine with cool focus.
You did a number to the place. It looks like a bombing run came through. The stone pathway caught the worst of it, all scorched earth and pockmarks. The surrounding trees bend at odd angles, half pulped by Yukiko-san's near-misses. Parts of the secondary shrines and the storage room where the Raising☆Heart was kept are singed black in places, now that your adrenaline is fading, you notice the smell of smoke and burnt lacquer again.
Reina clicks her tongue. "Don't think I'm blaming you for this,
conejita, but what brought you and," she twirls a finger, "all this here?"
You rummage in your jacket pocket and pull out the Raising☆Heart. "This thing. It makes Magical Girls like you are right now. Apparently, there are a whole lotta people in this town who wanna be one."
You hear the sound of Mary Janes crunch against stone shrapnel, as Chiaki makes her way up what's left of the stone steps.
She hails you with a wave. "I was getting worried since you weren't answering my messages." Her eyes fall upon the Raising☆Heart. She gasps, hand over her mouth. "You found it."
Reina gives you a look. You shrug it off. "Not here to run your jewels. Me and her just wanted to confirm a rumor."
"And do our good deed for the day." Chiaki whistles at the carnage. "Sorry we didn't get here sooner. All your visitors are safe and sound, by the by."
"If it weren't for everything I saw and this new fit I'm wearing," Reina says, "I'd think you're full of shit. But I have, so I don't." She cuts the air with a hand. "Deal me in on this whole Magical Girl thing, and tell me who was trying to snatch this thing in the first place."
"I can handle the first part," Alice says, trotting up beside Reina.
"And I can fill in the rest," Chiaki says, while idly looking at her phone. "Melody Kumatora, noted witch, just dropped an Aozora post about a gimp and a pink-haired thug assaulting her; thus thwarting the plans of her beloved Elder Sister, noted Witch-With-A-B, Harmony Kumatora. Those plans were to steal the Raising☆Heart and do gods-knows-what with it."
"...Witches?" Reina asks. "Deadass
brujas?"
"Yep," Chiaki says.
"Why'd Hot Topic lump me in with that asshole?" you say, face scrunched up like you licked a truck stop toilet seat.
"You and Iron Beetle are ostensibly both heroes of justice," Chiaki says. "Comes with the territory."
"Iron Beetle's the biker, right?" Reina asks. "Think I saw them on public access once talking about the crime rate."
You huff a stray lock of hair from your face and sulk. "Sounds like cop shit. Fitting from that dickweasel."
"Didn't seem like the most chill person," Reina says. "But anyway, about this Magical Girl thing?"
Alice cuts in. "Right, sorry love. Magical Girls are warriors of love and justice, blessed with the power of their Will to fight against the forces of evil."
Reina laughs and couches down to Alice. "Watch enough anime to know all that."
Alice fidgets, an awkward blush on her fuzzy cheeks. "Well then. You specifically are an Irregular, as you have not been formally contracted by the Majokko Corps or any other magical entity."
"You got a whole Corps for Magical Girls?" Reina says.
"There's an entire universe out there that needs love and justice in equal measure," Alice replies with no small amount of pride. "Our Corps provides it."
"Oh damn" you say, no longer sulking. "You guys do space shit?"
Alice nods. Chiaki mumbles something about first alien contact, hand over her mouth again.
"Whoa." You feel like Nanoha, but legal. And with a nailbat.
Alice waves a forepaw. "I digress. That artifact in your shrine's possession is the Raising☆Heart, a progenitor to our Magical Girl making devices. If it falls into the wrong hands, this town, hell, this country could be plunged into chaos."
"So a Lost Logia," you say. "Fuck, does that mean I have to fall for that Kumatora chick?"
Chiaki stifles a laugh.
Alice stares at you ruefully, before returning her focus to Reina. "Anyway, as this artifact was in your shrine's possession and you are now a Magical Girl, I would like to offer you a formal contract with the Majokko Corps to keep it secure."
"¡Claro!" Reina says, offering a handshake to Alice. "I'm in."
Alice takes it, forepaw to palm. "Splendid."
Chiaki no-look messages you. <Did you use the Raising☆Heart on her?>
You fish your phone out from your miniskirt's pocket and reply in the affirmative. Chiaki looks relieved and a little put out. She messages you again. <Now's probably a bad time, but I still want to be made into a Magical Girl.>
You shrug and no-look message an OK hand back.
Chiaki sees your message and slides her phone into her skirt pocket. "If she's keeping it secure, we should coordinate with each other," Chiaki says. "Miss..."
"Ichigo," Reina says, rising to full height. She's got several inches on Chiaki. "Reina Ichigo."
"Chiaki Love-Aida," Chiaki says with a small curtsy. "Nice to meet you."
"No need to be so formal,
chica," Reina says. "The shrine's my responsibility, so I'm used to handling things on my own, but I'm down for anyone willing to volunteer." She sizes up Chiaki with her fingers in frame. "And you'd look great in a miko uniform."
Chiaki freezes up. "...Eh?"
"Eh nothing," Reina says, stretching. "If you're gonna be working with me, you gotta wear the uniform." She looks over at you. "That goes for you too,
conejita."
***
You work out a deal with Reina; you and Chiaki will work part-time at the shrine once school lets out, technically as groundskeepers but really as troubleshooters. If Melody Kumatora or anyone else tries to take the Raising☆Heart, you'll be there to take them down. You'll get paid, of course, and Reina says she'll cook and do fortune-telling for you and Chiaki free as a bonus.
As you say your goodbyes and steel yourself for more of Chiaki's driving, the little notification from your level-up screen plays behind your eyes. You open it with a thought.
***
Loading... ... ...
Ready?
Run!
TENCO MAGICAL GIRL RAISING SYSTEM
Ver. Delta
Congratulations BANCHO LILY on your act of heroism! You may not have defeated the YOUMA, but you made a fellow MAGICAL GIRL and helped them SELF-ACTUALIZE after nearly BLEEDING TO DEATH!
This act of HEROICS has gained you 400 XP! Fighting more YOUMA, performing HEROICS, and growing AS A PERSON will gain you more XP, tempering your Soul and Will into a purer state!
Apotheosis Assist Daemon Code S.S.S.S. Active!
SETXP = 50
HITVAL = 10
Initializing... ... ...
OK!
Though you may not have vanquished your foes, the hearts of the people have given your newfound form more power! Their encouragement has granted you an additional 500 XP!
You may use this 900 XP to:
- Advance a CORE COMPETENCY in 50 XP intervals
- Add a DISTINCTION to a CORE COMPETENCY for 200 XP
- Remove a CATCH for 200 XP (You don't have one yet!)
Choose carefully, and NEVER LOSE MAIDEN'S HEART!
***
(A/N: go ahead and give me another plan vote, folks)
Once you've done your digital due diligence, you...
***
[Choose one]
[ ] Go test out your new abilities
[ ] Go hang out with Chiaki
[ ] Go home and chill with your family
